Scars From Within (The Franklin Blues #1) (12 page)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Hailee

I
can’t believe I passed out, and am now being admitted into the hospital for a bump on the head. Of course, it had to happen in the most embarrassing way possible. I was taking a shower, when I got a little light headed. I stopped washing my hair for a minute, and when the dizzy spell was over, I just continued what I was doing.

Next thing I know, I’m waking up on the floor of the bathtub with a massive headache, with blood being washed down the drain. I must’ve made enough noise because Amy rushed into the bathroom like a bat outta hell. She took one look at me, and started laughing, like the bitch that she is.

She finally stopped when she saw blood in the bathtub from where I guess I hit my head. She helped me up, got me dressed, and drove me to the hospital. Thank God, she didn’t want to call 911, because talk about dying of embarrassment.

Now, I have to deal with her begging me to call Shawn. “Amy, for the last time, no I’m not calling Shawn. I still can’t believe I let you call the precinct. Neither one of them need to know what’s going on in my life. Shawn made it obvious he wants nothing to do with me; so I’m begging you to please just stop asking me to call him. It’s not going to happen.”

“Ugh, fine bitch, I won’t bug you to call him anymore. Just promise me that you will think about it. He needs to know what’s going on. I mean it could be his, and it’s a miracle that it’s even happening at all. He really needs to know though, and you need to tell him.”

“I promise I’ll think about it, but just give me sometime to process this. I’m pregnant, and it’s more than likely not his, since I was raped the day after we made love. If this isn’t his baby, he won’t want anything to do with it or me. I just need time to process what’s going on. I mean I was told that I couldn’t ever have kids, and now all of a sudden I’m pregnant but not sure who the dad is. This is something out of a soap opera, not real life.”

I heard a gasp come from the door, and when I looked over, I saw Shawn standing in the doorway. Well, so much for letting me process everything. “Hello, Shawn, how long have you been standing there?”

Amy got up from her chair and muttered something about giving us a couple minutes alone to talk.

“I heard where you’re pregnant, but you didn’t think I should know about it. Were you going to tell me at all that you were carrying my child, or just keep me from my own child?”

“Shawn, calm down for a second. I was going to tell you once I found out
if
you are the father. If you’re not the father, then there’s no reason for you to be there for me. It’s as easy as that.”

“Well, I hate to break it to you, Shortcake, but whether or not this child is biologically mine; it IS mine. I will take care of it like it’s my own flesh and blood. This is my baby, and I take care of what’s mine. You should know this by now.”

Despite trying to appear tough and wanting to send him away, tears are rolling down my cheeks.

By the time I blinked, he was right next to the hospital bed. “Baby, please don’t cry. I’m sorry I haven’t called or anything. I wanted you to realize how we should be together, for you to trust me, and for you to trust that I love you. Now you’re carrying our miracle child. I hope it’s a girl. No wait—I want a boy. Oh hell, I don’t care as long as it’s a beautiful as its momma and healthy.”

I don’t think he’ll want anything to do with me if this turns out to not be his child, but of course, he just has to prove me wrong yet again. For the first time in my life, I felt excited about something again, and I have to thank Shawn for that excitement. Knowing that Shawn is going to help me and take care of me, or us, makes me almost happy that I will be having this child. I don’t know what I would’ve done if he didn’t want anything to do with me.

“Shawn, you might resent me one day, especially if I am not able to have anymore after this. I won’t make it if you decide to leave me one day. So, maybe you should take some time and think this over. I want to make sure that you are one hundred percent sure about what you are saying.” I’m really scared to look at him. I felt his fingers under my chin, raising my face.

“Hailee, I want nothing more to have a child with you. Even if we couldn’t have any, we could adopt for all I care. I want a family with you, blood or not. I want you and this child more than I ever thought possible. I don’t even want a paternity test because in my eyes; this is my child. Now, it’s up to you to decide if you want me to be apart of your life or not.”

“I love you so much, but I just wanted to make sure you were really sure you wanted to do this.”

“Well when you get released, let’s go home.”

“Wait, I’m not moving back in yet.”

“Oh, yes you are and there’s no sense arguing about it. I’ll get you to move back in with me. You are carrying my child, therefore, you are living with me. End of story.”

“You’re not going to let this go are you?”

“Nope, come on Shortcake you know you miss living with me.” He gave me that wicked wink of his at me, because he knows what that does to me.

“Ugh, fine take me home when they discharge me, ya caveman.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Shawn

H
ailee is coming home with me. I need to start planning on how I’m going to ask her to marry me. I already have the ring…I’ve had it since before she was kidnapped. I’ve known I wanted her to be my wife for awhile now, but knowing she is now carrying my child makes me want it to happen that much faster.

I’m on my way now to go pick her up from the hospital, and I’m not going to lie, I’m nervous. I don’t know the first thing when it comes to keeping pregnant women happy. Pulling up to the front of the hospital, I see that Hailee is already out front in her wheelchair, and she doesn’t look happy. I hopped out of the truck, so I could lift her and put her in so she doesn’t hurt herself. I just had to ask why she looks so pissed, “Why do you look like someone pissed in your Cheerios this morning?”

She then turned her glare on me, and if looks could kill I’m pretty sure I’d be dead. “Well, if you must know, they wouldn’t let me just walk out to wait for you. They had to put me in a wheelchair and wheel me out like I was some kind of invalid. I’m pregnant, not handicapped. I’m sure they had more important things to do than wheel me out in a wheelchair. Stupid hospital people.”

I really couldn’t stop the laugh that came out of my mouth. “I’m sorry honey, I don’t mean to laugh at you, but you’re so cute when you’re mad. It’s just protocol for them to push you out in a wheelchair. I promise you it has nothing to do with whether or not they think you’re handicapped.”

She just kept glaring at me, all while I just chuckled to myself. Man, I loved this woman, and she really is cute when she’s mad. She doesn’t even realize how far she’s come, since her abuse. She used to be so timid and now, she was fiery. It did my heart good to see it. “Anyways, let’s move on shall we? Are you hungry? We can stop on the way home if you want to.”

Right on cue, her stomach growled.

“What do you and my baby want, huh?”

“I think we want a juicy burger with some curly fries and a giant shake. Oh damn, that sounds good. Could we stop at our favorite diner for lunch?”

“Of course we can, babe. Whatever my babies want, my babies will get.” I placed my hand on her still flat stomach. I still couldn’t believe even after the doctors said she would never be able to conceive children that she is carrying a baby,
my baby, no—our baby.
Damn, I’m a lucky son of a bitch. I never thought I’d get to have this life after Scar died.

We pulled up to the diner, and I jumped out of the truck to help her down, but of course; she does it all on her own. I think she’s determined to show me that she’s not in fact handicapped, and that she could still do things on her own.

We sat and eat in comfortable silence, and I can’t help but watch her eat.

Sure, during the time we were together, she always was a good eater, but she demolished that burger and fries.

“Was it good Hailee? Did you even chew or did you just inhale everything?” I laughed when she glared at me and then promptly flipped me off. I then howled with more laughter. Damn it, she is so cute. There’s the feisty girl that I know and love.

“Bite me, Shawn. It’s your fault I’m like this. If you don’t like it, then take me back to Amy’s.”

“Oh, no I don’t think so.” I kept chuckling. “I’m happy that I made you that way, And I will say, I enjoyed doing it too. I hate to break it to you but you’re stuck with me now.”

“Well, I guess there are worse people to be stuck with.” She winked at me.

“Ready to go darlin’, or do you want some dessert too? I could careless either way, but I just wanted to make sure you’re ready to go before I just assumed.”

“Yeah, I think I am ready to go.”

We got up, and I threw some money on the table. I placed my hand on the small of her back, and helped guide her out of the restaurant. I couldn’t be more excited to get her home, and to show her that we could make this work.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Hailee

W
alking back into Shawn’s house was like an out of body experience. It’s like I’m here, but not here at the same time. I never thought I would see the inside of his home again, and I am so thankful that I am able to be here again. I looked around for Jax, knowing he’s usually on top of me as soon as I walk in the door.

“Where’s Jax? I want to see him.” I continue to search for my favorite animal in the world. He’d always been there for me when I had one of my freak outs, always there to protect me.

“He’s out back; I didn’t want him jumping on you. I can’t risk either of you getting hurt. Once you get settled in our room, I’ll let him back in, but you need to rest for a little bit.”

“Are you going to be like this the whole time I’m pregnant? I got a lot of rest in the hospital, and I want to see Jax now before I go back into the
spare
bedroom.” I tried my hardest to glare at him, but with the look he’s giving me, it’s hard to.

“You think you’ll be staying in the spare room? Ain’t happenin’ Shortcake. We made a baby together, and you are definitely staying with me. End of discussion. This is your home now as much as it is mine. You’re carrying my child, so therefore you will be sleeping in my bed. I have spent too many nights away from you already, and I won’t do it again, if I can help it.” He crossed his arms over his chest, almost like he’s daring me to challenge him.

“Alright, fine, I’ll sleep in the master bedroom, but only because I know that if I don’t you’ll just move me in the middle of the night.” I crossed my arms over my chest in defiance because inside I’m actually giddy that he wants me to sleep with him in the same bed, but I sure as hell don’t want him to know that.

“You sure are cute when you want me to think you’re mad. I know you like sleeping with me, so don’t try and deny it. I love you Hailee, and I’m just letting you know that one day, I plan on making you my wife. So, you might want to start thinking about the kind of wedding you want.” He turned on his heels and walked away, like he didn’t just drop a bomb in my lap.

Isn’t it too soon to be thinking about marriage? We haven’t been together long, hell, we aren’t even together right now. I’m just living here because I am pregnant with a baby that may or may not be his. I guess only time would tell and once the baby was born, we could get a test done to know for sure.

I went up the stairs to the master bedroom, and just stood outside the door. I’m not sure what made me hesitate to go in, but something keeps me from just walking in. I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t feel like I belonged here, or because of the memories from the last time I was in this room. I heard him come up behind me. There are no words that are needed as we just stood there staring at the closed door. My heart pounded fast against my chest, and I wondered if Shawn could hear it too.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of behind that door. It’s almost the same as when you left it last time.”

I turned my head and looked at him.
Almost the same, what does that even mean?

He must’ve been able to read my mind because he put his hand out and opened the door.

I walked in and gazed around. It all seemed the same to me, but when I turned to the bed I saw that it looked brand new. I glanced over to Shawn, and waited for him to explain.

“I bought a new bed because even though you were the only other woman that had been in my other one…you left me in that bed. I couldn’t let you sleep in a bed that had such bad memories in it for us. You deserve to have a bed that will only belong to the good memories we make together. We are going to make wonderful memories here together, but I wanted to make sure all the bad was gone from our life first.”

“Okay, I have a very important question to ask you. Now, just please just listen to what I have to say before butting in like I know you will want to do.”

He looked troubled but nodded slightly.

“Well, you know that I’m pregnant obviously, but what I need to know is if we are a couple or just two people who live together and are raising a child together. When this little one is born, we could go get a paternity test done. I know you said you don’t want one, but I think it would be best to get one. I don’t want you to raise a child that isn’t yours. You don’t deserve that at all. You deserve to have your own children, not be stuck with someone who is trapping you into raising my child. I just want to know if we have a title, I mean if you don’t want to do the title thing, I completely understand.” I took a deep breath, and wait for him to yell at me or something.

“Hailee, have I ever made you feel like I didn’t want this baby?”

I shook my head. I don’t know where he’s going with this.

“No, I didn’t think so. I want this child more than you could ever imagine. When I think about it, I think I want a little girl who looks just like her mother. She will be the little princess that I have always dreamed of having. As far as the whole “couple” thing goes, did you hear what I said when I told you I was going to make you my wife someday? The answer is yes, we
are
a couple, and no, we are
not
just two people raising a baby together. If this is the only child we are ever blessed with, that’s okay, and if we are blessed with five or six that’s okay too. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Are you ever going to get that through your thick head?” He turned around and walked out the door.

I’m not sure if I should go after him, so I just let him be while I start unpacking my clothes. I don’t know why I keep doubting his love for me. He obviously wanted to be with me if he’s willing to raise a baby that might not even be his. I sat on the bed and realized that I love him more than I wanted to. That it was fear causing all of my doubts, because if he chooses to leave me—I know I would never be the same again. I stared out through the doorway that he just walked through, and decided to go after him. I’m finally ready to give away the last little bit of my heart to him.